Dough treating machine



March 24, 1936. Q QUlCK DOUGH TREATING MACHINE 4 Sheefs-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 20, 1954 [raven/07 Q14 0% March 24, 1936. c QU|K DOUGH TREATINGMACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Hz/6722 07 aig E'Quic/.

v March 24, 1936. E I K 2,035,188

DOUGH TREATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet s izzz'oMarch 24, 1936.

c. E. QUICK 2,035,188 DOUGH TREATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 19:54 4Sheets-Sheet 4 V I J J3 57 J7 J6 Z1 Z2 Z5 Ma y Z6 Z6 4 Z7 Z7 15 Q '23 23Z3 7 I g; 4/ /a I Ira-06722 07 Claude Quick 34 Patented Mar. 24, 1936rrso STATES I 2,035,188 DOUGH TREATING Application September 20, 1934,Serial No. 744,753

Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for treating dough or the like, moreparticularly for bakery use.

The invention is of marked utility in connection with machines forhandling rolls of dough twisted preliminary to the baking of a so-calledtwist bread.

Among other objects, the invention provides improved means for adjustingthe apparatus for operation upon dough rolls of varying thickness.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thecharacter set forth which is simple and comparatively inexpensive andyet rapid and efficient in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is an assembled side elevational view of myimproved mechanism, shown somewhat diagrammatically;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the left-hand end ofthe mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 of the right-hand end of saidstructure;

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 44 of Figure l, somewhatenlarged, and looking in one direction; and

Figure 5 is a similar cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,looking in the oppositev direction.

In the commercial baking of so-called twist bread, it is desirable tobegin the twisting operation with rolls of dough longer than the usualrolls produced by conventional molding apparatus, and it is furthermoredesirable that means be provided, which is not found in conventionalmolding apparatus, for readily varying the lengths and diameters of therolls to suit different requirements for the twist bread and forcontrolling the thickness of the ultimate loaf. After two or moreelongated rolls of dough have been twisted together, either by machineor by hand, it is frequently desirable that the composite lump of doughbe slightly flattened before it is placed in the baking pan, thisfiattening operation, among other objects, contributing to control ofthe thickness of the loaf and also to the homogeneity of the compositeloaf. In the present instance I have illustrated my invention inconjunction with the hand operation of twisting the rolls of dough, butit will be apparent that my invention is; of like utility in conjunctionwith machines now on the marketfor performing the actual twistingoperation mechanically. I

Referring in detail tothe structure shown in the drawings, I have shownin general a conveyor such as the endless-.belt- Ill carried by a frameI I, which is desirably in the form of a portable carriage mounted onfour standards I2 and provided at their lower ends with casters [3. Theupper part of the frame II is in the form of a fiat polished metallicplate. I4 extending substantially the length of the frame and, overwhich the upper run. of the belt Ill moves in sliding contact therewithto be supported thereby, the, belt Hi being trained about rollers I5,16' at each end of the frame.

At one end of the portable conveyor represented by the frame II andendless belt It, I have provided, in this instance, a separate conveyorportion in the form of another shorter endless belt" I! carried by aframe l8 which, 'as here shown, may be mounted by any appropriate means(such as the depending angle bar l8a and leg frame portion I811) on aconventional molding machine indicated in dotted linesat' l9 attheright-hand end of Figure 1.

As best shown in Figure 3, the belt H is trained at each end aboutrollers 2i suitably journalled at each end in anti-friction pillarbearin; b10cks'22v carried, by the frame l8, theframe having ahorizontally extending portion 23 for this purpose, this horizontallyextending portion 23 being supported in cantilever fashion by the brace24- extending diagonally therefrom to a lower part of the frame. One ofthe belt rollers, in this instance the roller 2 i, may be driven fromthe same mechanism which drives the molder I9 by an endless chain 25meshing with the sprocketfii at one end of the shaft 21 for the roller2|. At the opposite end of the shaft 2'! is affixed. another sprocket 28about which is trained another drive chain 29 which also meshes with asprocket 30- fixed on shaft; 3 t of theroller 20. lower run-thereof maybe trained over an idler sprocket '32 carried atthe free end of alever33 pivoted at, 34 on the frame portion 23, the chain thereafter passingin under engagement with another idler sprocket 3,5 concentric. with thepivot 3.4,. The opposite. end of the, lever 33,- iscon- To. take up theslack in chain- 29 the nected by the tension coil: spring 3.6. withtheings for one of the rollers, in this instance the roller 20, may bemounted on a bracket 31 which is secured to the frame portion 23 bybolt-andnut members 38 which pass through slots in the frame portion 23and are adjustable longitudinally thereof as by a screw adjustmentmember 39 rotatably secured at one end to the bracket 31 and having itsfree end passing through a threaded sleeve 40 carried by the frame. Thusrota-v tion of the screw member 39 outwardly of the sleeve 40 retractsthe bracket 31. There may be a similar arrangement on each side of theroller 20, it being suflicient for this purpose that one only be hereshown. To prevent flexing upwardly of the lower run of the belt H, thebelt at this point desirably passes under in sliding engagementtherewith a polished metallic plate 4| carried by the frame. This platemay be suitably secured to the frame horizontal extension portions 23thus forming a part of the frame and reinforcing these horizontalportions 23 which may be in the form of beams at each side of the frame.

A contact member to cooperate with the traveling conveyor belt portionI1 is here represented by a. pressure plate 42 having its main portionparallel to the belt I! and suspended thereunder, in face to facerelation therewith, between the extending arms of the frame portion I8,which is formed U-shape for this purpose. The plate 42 is shown securedat each side to a pair of angle beams 43. To movably support the plate42, near one end thereof, as at 44, are pivoted to the angle beams 43 apair of links 45, these links being pivoted also to the frame 23 as at46. Near their opposite ends, the beams 43 are pivoted as at 41 toanother pair of links 48, which are in turn pivoted as at 49 also to theframe 23, the distance between the pivots 44, 46 and the pivots 41, 49being equal so that the plate 42 may be swung transversely of the beltI! but always in parallel relation therewith. These two pairs of linksare carried laterally outwardly of the frame portion 23 so that the beltmoves freely therebetween.

To adjust the position of the plate 42 with respect to the belt I1, Ihave shown the links 48 extended upwardly as at 50 above the belt andframe and connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar 5| in the form ofa cylindrical shaft. An interiorly threaded sleeve or nut 52 is pivotedupon the shaft 5| as by having a knuckle portion 53 of the sleevesurround the shaft with a rotative fit. By adjusting the distance of theupper end of the links 50 from a plane parallel with the belt I! andplate 42, the distance between theplate 42 and the lower run of the beltmay be readily varied. To so swing the links transversely of the frameand maintain them in desired adjusted position, I may provide a rod 54having threads 55 thereon which passes through the sleeve 52 in threadedengagement therewith and is rotatably secured to an anchor member 56carried by the yoke 51 which spans the belt H.

The hand wheel 58 at the opposite end of the rod 54 beyond the placewhere it passes through the sleeve 52 permits ready rotation of the rodand consequent swinging of the links 50 transversely of the belt andframe (by reason of the screw movement of the sleeve on the rod, the rodbeing fixed against horizontal movement with respect to the frame),which in turn causes swinging of the links 45 and plate 42. Pivoting ofthe sleeve 52 on the links 59 permits the rod 54 to adjust itself to theangular position of the links 50; and this is further accommodated byswiveling the anchor member 56 to the yoke 51 as at 58a in bearingsprovided by brackets 59 suitably secured to the yoke.

As best shown in Figure 3, the plate 42 extends to the right beyond theframe I8 and thus may receive, as by gravity, from the conventionalmolder |9 the usual lump or cylinder of dough 60. As the belt I! iscaused to turn so that its lower run moves to the left in Figure 3, theroll of dough 60 is engaged by the moving belt l1 and is moved throughthe space between the lower run of the belt I! and the opposed contactmember represented by the plate 42, the lower run of the belt moving tothe left. During the progress of the roll therethrough, its diameter isreduced to the form shown at 6|, its length being also increased. Thisaction is desirable for two reasons: first, in that it makes a longerand uniform roll of dough for purposes of twisting two rolls 6|together, and in the second place, it desirably improves the texture ofthe dough, being in the nature of a further kneading process.

Since in this instance the plate 42 is normally stationary while thebelt I! moves, the roll of dough is rotated and its diameter is reduced,thus elongating the roll while determining its uniform diameter, whileat the same time the dough is kneaded so as to improve its homogeneityand texture.

To vary the diameter and length of the roll 6|, it is only necessary toquickly rotate the hand wheel 58 which as already described acts uponthe upper end of the links 50, these links acting as a lever to alterthe relation of the sides of the parallelogram formed by the belt H, thecontact plate 42, and the links 45 and 48. Also the pairs of links 45and 48 form with the belt and plate a parallelepiped, which is similarlyacted upon.

At its left-hand end, as shown in Figure 3, the plate 42 is inclineddownwardly as at 62 to direct the elongated rolls of dough 6| toward andonto the conveyor belt ID, the beams 43 being correspondingly taperedfor this purpose.

One or more workmen may stand alongside of the belt l9 and as the rollsof dough come from the elongator just described onto the belt In,

two or more of these rolls may be twisted together by hand and left onthe belt to be carried further toward the left, as indicated in Figure1, where they are next desirably acted upon to slightly flatten thetwisted dough.

As best shown in Figures 2 and 5, this flattener is also suspended, inthis case above the belt ill, on the principle of a parallelogram andparallelepiped acted upon by a lever, similarly in principle to theelongator already described. The flattener includes a frame formed bylongitudinally extending angle bars 63 to which are suitably secured asmooth polished plate 54 which reinforces the frame and also acts as abacking for the lower run of the belt 65, this belt being trained aboutthe rollers 66, 6'! having their shafts, B8, 69 journalled inanti-friction bearings '19, respectively. The bearings I, being boltedthereto by the nut-and-bolt members 1 la, may be carried by the brackets12 suitably secured to the frame as by bolts 13. The bearings Hi may besimilarly secured to brackets 14 secured to the frame by bolts 15, thebearings 10, however, being movable on the bracket 14 as by having theirbolt-and-nut members 16 pass through slots in the bracket. By rotationof the screw-bolt '11 in the interiorly threaded sleeve 18, the bearings18 may be moved nut member 1.6- being thereafter tightened to clamp.thebearing in this. adjustment. When the belt is so. tightened,rotation. of one of the rollers 66. or-fi'l will drive the belt.

Theframe 63 is here shown supported at one end by a pair of links 88,one at each side" of the frame laterally outwardly of the belt 65 andpivoted at 8 I- on the carriage I I, the links 88 being also pivoted asat 82 to a yoke 83 which spans the frame 63- and belt 65.

At. its otherend the frame 63 carrying the belt 65-isv supported byanother pair of links 84, one at each side; pivoted at 85 on the portion86 of the carriage I I- and also pivoted at 81 on the shaft 69 for theroller II... The distances between the pivots 8|, 8 2 and the pivots.85, 81 are equal so that a line connecting all of these pivot'pointsdescribes a parallelogram.

To adjust the position of the frame 63 and the belt 65. transversely of(i. e. toward or away from) the main conveyor belt to, I may extend thelinks 84 upwardly above the plane of the parallelogram as at 88, thisportion 88- of the links 84 providing a lever for adjustment purposes.The upper portions 88 of the links 84 may be connected together by across-bar 89 of cylindrical form so as to receive with a rotative fitcentrally thereof the knuckle portion 98 of an interiorly threadedsleeve 9!. The stop pins 92 afiixed in the cross-bar 89 may maintain theknuckle 98 centered on the cross-bar. To act upon the lever thusprovided by cross-bar 89 and upper ends 88 of the links 84 I may provideanother screw action mechanism similar to the screw-action mechanism forthe elongator and including the rod 63 threaded as at 94 passing throughthe sleeve 9| in threaded engagement therewith to be anchored againstlongitudinal movement with respect to the sleeve by being rotativelysecured to abushing 85 pivoted as at 96 on a bracket 81 suitably securedcentrally of. the yoke 83. The hand-wheel 98 fixed on the rod 93 at;itsopposite end beyond the place where it passes through the sleeve 8|permits ready rotation of the rod to advance or retract the sleeve 9iand consequently to vary the angle of the links 84, thus moving the belt65 toward or away from the belt I8. It will be perceived that thisresults from the fact that as the links 84- are swung downwardly towarda line parallel with the belts, the distance between the upper ends 88of the links 84 and a relatively fixed point such as the pivot 82' forexample is decreased, while as the upper ends 88 of the links 84 aremoved in the oppositedirection toward the vertical, the distance betweenthe upper ends-88 of the links34i and such a fixed point as'the pivot82, is increased. The rod-and-sleeve screw connection SI, 94 maintainany desired distance between. the'upper ends 88 of the links 84 and sucha relatively fixed point as the pivots 82 to maintain the belt 65 in itsdesiredadjust'ecl position, since the frame 63. cannot move downwardlywithout decreasing this distance, which is prevented by the rod 93. Thusthe mechanism just described constitutes a contractible clamping meanscarried entirely by the links themselves and bodily movable therewith.

The belt 65 may be driven from the same source of power which drives themain belt Iii. Asv here shown, a motor--99 driving through aconventional speed-reduction mechanism I80 has. a sprocket wheel Iillafiixed on its output shaft I82. An endless. chaini I 03 passing aroundthe sprocket I02 drives both the belt I!) and the belt 65. The belt IDis driven by the chain I83 through the medium of a sprocket wheel I04afiixed on the shaft I85 of the roller It for the maimbelt, H1. Theshaft. I85 isjournalled. an anti-friction bearing 'iilfia securedaslbybolt-and-nut members I05b. to, thebracket: I050, secured tothe;carriage- I I, atits extreme lef-t-hand-end-as shown in the drawings.The. belt 65-15 driven bythe; chain: I 8.3 through theintermediation-ofa sprocket wheel I86 fixed on a shaft I01 journalled in bearings.Ii'l'laconcentric with the pivotpoint 85-of the link, 84 and upon whichone of these, links 84 has. a. bearing. Affixedonshaft I81- alsoisaspur-gearl-88 which. meshes with another spur gear- I89 carried byoneof the links84 concentricrwith the shaft 68.. Since the shaft 69 isalso the. shaft for the; roller II, rotation thereof, through the gearsI88, I88- willv move the belt 85 so that the lowerrun of the belt65-will move in. the same direction as the upper run of the belt I0,that is toward the left in Figures 1 and 2. Since the gears I88, I09are-of the same diameter, the belts I8 and 65 will travel at the samespeed and the gears will be in mesh in any angular position ofthe links84 already referred to, the gear I89 rolling about the gear I88 upon theplanetary principle whenthe links 84 have their angle changed.

As the rolls of dough twisted together are. car ried by the conveyorbelt Ill beneath the fiattener belt 65, the vertical distance occupiedby the.

dough is decreased slightly and the twisted doughis somewhat flattenedto the form shown at III where it is now ready to be takenfrom theconveyor belt In at the extremeleft-hand end of the views, to be placedin the usual baking pan. Thebrackets I2, 14 may be extended somewhatbelow the lower run of the belt 65 to act as lateral guards for thedough at this point. Since the belts I and 65 travel in the samedirection, at the same. speed, there is no tendency to rotate the doughunder the flattener.

The roller I at the right-hand end of the. belt I I] shown in thedrawingsmay be journalled in an anti-friction bearing I I2 carried as bybolt-andnut members. II3 on a bracket, II4 suitably secured to thecarriage II. The bolt-and-nut members II3 may pass through slots in thebracket II4 so that by rotation of the screw bolt H5 in threaded sleeveH6 the bearing II2 may.

be moved on the bracket to tighten the belt. II], the bolts I I3 beingthen tightened to clamp it in this adjustment, so that the-belt I 0 willrun at the same speed as the gear I08, the sprocket wheels IIII, I04andI06 being equal in diameter and number of. teeth to maintain thisuniform speed.

The lower or return run IOa of the belt I0 travelling to the right asshown in the diagrams, may be trained over a series of idler rollersI'Ill rotatably secured uponv the under side of the carriage I I. i i Vw Obviously, the invention is not limited to details of constructionherein shown. Furthermore, it is not essential that all features of the4 absent pivoted on the frame and depending therefrom at one end at eachside thereof laterally outwardly of the belt, another pair of heavierlinks pivoted on the frame and having one end of each said linkdepending therefrom at each side thereof at its opposite end laterallyoutwardly of the belt, the last-mentioned pair of links being extendedabove the frame beyond their pivot-point, a cross-bar joining saidlast-mentioned pair of links where so extended, a yoke carried by andspanning the frame at its end adjacent the firstmentioned pair of links,and adjustable means interconnecting the cross-bar and yoke for varyingthe distance therebetween to control movement of the links relative tothe frame.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which an interiorly threaded sleeve ispivotally carried by the cross-bar and a threaded rod passes throughsaid sleeve in threaded engagement therewith and is anchored to the saidyoke, the rod being also swiveled on said yoke.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein an interiorly threaded sleeve ispivotally carried by the cross-bar and a threaded rod passes throughsaid sleeve in threaded engagement therewith, said rod being anchored atits opposite end to a member pivoted to the yoke and wherein a handwheel is afiixed to the rod at its free end beyond the place where itpasses through the threaded sleeve. j

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame, anendless moving belt carried thereon, a pair of links pivoted on theframe and extending thereabove laterally outwardly of the belt, anotherpair of links pivoted on the frame laterally outwardly of the belt, asecond frame pivotally carried on the first frame threaded on andswingable toward and away therefrom, a second endless belt carried bysaid second frame parallel with the first-mentioned belt, a gear wheelcarried by the first-mentioned frame concentric with the pivot pointthereon ol one of the pairs of links, another gear wheel car ried by thesecond frame concentric with the pivot point thereon of saidlast-mentioned pair of links, said gear wheels meshing in all relativepo. sitions of the frames, means for driving the second-mentioned beltfrom the second-mentioned gear, and means for adjusting the position ofthe second frame transversely of the first-mentioned, frame. p

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the means for adjusting the positionof the second frame in V cludes a lever provided by an extension of oneof the links beyond one of its pivot points and a medium acting to movesaid lever.

6. The structure of claim' l wherein the means for adjusting theposition of the second frame includes a lever provided by extensionsabove the second frame of the links to which the gear wheel v ispivoted, a threaded sleeve pivoted to said extensions, a threaded rodpassing through said sleeve secured at one end against longitudinalmovement with respect to the sleeve, and'a hand Wheel for rotating therod. v

"7. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of parallelopposed contact members one of which is movable toward and away from theother, a pair of links pivoted to both members to I provide saidadjustability, said links carrying the movable member, one of the linksbeing extended beyond both of the members to provide a lever arm,between which and the other member one of the members is disposed, aninteriorly threaded sleeve swiveled on said lever arm, a threaded rodpassing through the sleeve and anchored at one end to one of the membersto permit rotation of the rod on its own axis and also swinging movementof the rod on an axis coincident with the point at which it is anchoredwhereby the position of the movable member with respect to the othermember may be fixed by fixing the distance from the outer end of thelever arm to the said anchor point by rotation of the rod in the sleeveand the rod is otherwise bodily movable to adjust itself to varyingpositions of the parts.

8. In mechanism of the class described, comprising a pair of parallelopposed contact members one of which is adjustable toward and away fromthe other, a pair of links pivoted to both members to provide saidadjustability, said links carrying the movable member, one of the linksbeing extended beyond both of the members to provide a lever arm betweenwhich and the other member one of the members is disposed, and meanscarried. by and bodily movable transversely of the members with saidlever arm for fixing the angularity of the links with respect to themembers.

9. In mechanism of the class described provided with a moving belt, asupport for the belt, a contact member parallel therewith, said contactmember forming with said belt two sides of a parallelepiped, the otherfour sides of which are formed by a plurality of pairs of parallel linkspivoted to the support and swingable transversely of the member, wherebythe belt and member are relatively movable toward and away from eachother in parallel relation, the combination wherein two of said linksare extended beyond the parallelepiped, and including manually ad-.

justable take-up mechanism for varying the distances from the saidextended ends to the opposite links, wherein the said extended ends areconnected by a cross-bar and the take-up mechanism comprises aninternally threaded sleeve pivoted to the said cross-bar and wherein athreaded rod anchored at one end to the member in the vicinity of one ofthe pairs of links has its free end passing through said sleeve inthreaded engagement therewith.

10. In mechanism of the class described, provided with a moving belt, asupport for the belt, a contact member parallel therewith, said contactmember forming with said belt two sides of a parallelepiped, the otherfour sides of which are formed by a plurality of pairs of parallel linkspivoted to the support and swingable transversely of the member, wherebythe belt and member are relatively movable toward and away from eachother in parallel relation, the combination wherein two of said linksare extended beyond the parallelepiped, and including manually adjust--'able take-up mechanism for varying the distances from the said extendedends to the opposite links, wherein the take-up mechanism includes aninternally threaded sleeve pivoted to the said extended ends and whereina rod passes through the sleeve and is pivoted at its anchored end inthe vicinity of one of said pairs of links and has a hand wheel at itsfree end beyond the place where it passes through the threaded sleeve.

CLAUDE E. QUICK.

